Abstract:

This report discusses factors that lead to open source software being sustained over the long term, and presents recommendations on best practices for cyberinfrastructure software development, support, and sustainability. It aims to provide the scientific community, software developers, and the NSF with information that will contribute to software that is more reliable and sustainable, and to reduce duplication of effort in software development. Findings are based on responses to surveys of NSF-funded investigators (summarized in "Models for Sustainability for Robust Cyberinfrastructure Software" [http://hdl.handle.net/2022/17313]). The companion dataset appears in "Best Practices and Models for Sustainability for Robust Cyberinfrastructure Software” - Survey Dataset and Analyses" at http://hdl.handle.net/2022/17312.